Cargo Records

New Maps Of Hell

The inside cover of this cd reveals a post-apocalyptic trafalgar square complete with burning buses, a can-opened national gallery and nelson’s column snaking off in collapsed sections towards the strand.

For such a seemingly gentlemanly acoustic album this might appear incongruous - the first song sounds like it was recorded at a cocktail party at the savoy sometime in the 1930s - but closer inspection of matthew neel’s world reveals a catalogue of current psychological ills, from the inevitable environmental to more straightforward existential woes.

‘well anyway’ sums up the landscape - “We are the beaten generation, black-and-blue and godforsaken. But don’t start thinking that we’re easy prey cos we’ll never give an inch and we’ll dig our teeth in”, while ‘first world blues’ resonates with a deep sense of the impending (producers of panorama looking for a title for their next climate-change special take note).

elsewhere, ‘hey citizen’ finds our hero back at the savoy for a light supper whilst all around genuine pop moments are surfing away happily on top of the angst. often this is due to the deft guitar playing of cohort luke brighty - particularly ‘emily’ with it’s lilting beat and pay-off line “well I want you for your mind although you’ve got a great behind”’.

likewise ‘wise up’, complete with nick cave cowboy-choir backing vocals and ‘we will be dreaming’s’ instantly familiar “smiles on our faces” refrain. ‘new maps of hell’ is an accomplished debut, a roadmap for our times and an album that soothes as much as it pricks. like emily, it’s got the lot..